Dana bickford



D. BIOKPORD.

KNITTING MACHINE.

, .No. 80,121. Patente d July 21 1868.

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DANA BIC KFORD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 80,121, dated July 2], 1868;

IMPROVEMENT I'N KNITTING-MACHINE, i

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY GONOERN Be-it known that I, DANA BIOKEORD, of-thc city of Boston, countyjof Suffolk, andState of Massachusetts, have-invented certain Improvements in Knitting-h'lachines; and I do hereby declare that the followiiig, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of my invention suflicient to enable those skilled in the art to practise it. My improvements relate to circular-knitting machines, but particularly to that class of them in which a circular series of lat cheneedlesreciprocate, while forming the stitch, in parallel grooves in a stationary needle-ring. The'ohject of my improvement is to render such machines capable of producing a greater variety of work than could heretofore be made upon them; to make them capable of being instantly reversed whilst in the act of knitting, and to any desired extent, so asto make bothtubular goods or straight or fiat web, or both con:

nected, as in forming the various parts of a stocking or other shaped or fashioued. article, to narrow and widen either the tubular fabric or the strip without change in the 'size'of the needle-ring; to make on such circular machine a fabric with different-colored stripes running lengthwise of the tube or strip, or with such stripes themselves having different colors running crosswise of the same, so as to present in each stripe a crossstripc or block; to make fancy tubular goodsof difi'erent texture by employing atftimes all the needles of the series, and at other times a lesser number than the whole series, but by-continuous .rerolution of the series in either one or 'the other direction; and, in addition, to make thereon ornamental fringe and cord, and to cover, by knitting, a core, whether the same be a cord, wire, flat spring, whip-handle, or other article.

The primary aim of these improvements is to cheapcn andsimplify, and also to enlargethe capacity of themachine, (which is made with a view to use in' families, and by persons of butlimitcd mechanical skill,) that the great and growing want of and demand for a'family knitting-machine shall be met, it being well known that the so-callcd rotary family machines, as hitherto made, were limitcd'to the more knitting of 'a tubular goods corrcspondingin size to the diameter of the needle-cylinder, or were so complicated as to require a practical mechanic to run them and keep th'cm in order. I

My special improvements consist in such a construction of the cam-groove by which the needles are actuated,-

that the machine may be revolved in either direction and knit successfully, and in connection therewith,the

employment of a cam or-cum's, which, by dove-tailing or otherwise, may be made to slide, for the purposes of adjustment; andin the employment of two such slides in two depressions-of the groove or cam, both having such range of adjustment that they may insure a considerable variation in the traverse of the needles, to make looser or tighter work, and in a means for elevating or lowering the needle-cylinder, whereby also the workmay be made tighter or looser.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a machine embodying my improvements.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of t'he same in the line a: :c of fig. 1.

A represents the frame or bed of the machine, to which is fixedly secured The frame has a prolongation or extension, 0, so that when the machine is clamped to the iedge ofan ordinary the needle-cylinder or ring B.

table or piece of furniture, in the usual manner of hand-machines, this extension shall, by bearing upon a 001k siderable surface of the table, :ifi'ord a firm and steady purchase, so as to prevent that unsteadincss and constant shaking which, in driving the machines, have always attended them, as usually constructed, without such proyecting surface.

D is the revolving ring or hand, and a 'slit, F, leading to the eye, and admitting of ready threading or unthreading ofthc eye. a

The ring D is caused to revolve by means of a toothed wheel, G, driven by a handle, H, the teeth of this wheel meshing into teeth on the ring;

Upon the inner face or periphery of ring is a groove, I, to receive the butts of the needles. .ihis groov e on which is mounted the thread-carrier E, in which is aneyc for the thread,

is straight, except at that portion where it is.intended to cause the needles to rise or fall,.and at that portion itis formed substantially as shown at a a a'in fig. 2.

Adjustable pieces, K, dove-tailed or otherwise, so a to admit l g Sudden and aajusfed P 31 tionsupnards or downwards, serve to vary the characterand action oi 'cam groov'e upon the needles, and to change-their extent of traverse; The shorter the traverse the closer the-stitclnzand vice versa. Each of these sliding pieces is'h eld {i rmly to its desired position by a thumb-screw, I, which, passing through an inclined slot,. M, in the ring, serves to lift and lower and fasten the slide'in its place. Each slide also is fitted inways, which support or brace it on opposite sides, tB-preve nt its getting out of true position. To each slide may be attached an indezg' or poiriterfwhich, passing through the slot, indicates upon a. dial outside the ring the extent to which it has been moved, and consequently the character of the stitch to be made.

By having the cum-groove of the same form or shape oneach side of its centre,- and by having the two alidei ieco s alike, and situated alike rolatirel-y to corresponding parts of the cam-groove, it is evident that in whichever direction the ringis caused to revolve, their action uponthc needles will be unchanged, it being only necessary tl at'oach-slide and its corrcsponding portion of the cam-groove shall-be equidistant from a vertical line drawn through the eye of the thread-carrier, in ordor to insure the proper deliveryof the thread to the needles, whether the ring revolves in one direction or the other. PI sometimes dispensewith thcsl-i-de-piccca,

and make the groove continuous throughout.

The needle-ring is'groovcd in the usual manner, to receive thenocdles and permit their rise and-fall therein, but unlike such ring, as showuin my patent,.No. 68',595,- granted September 10,1867, it has no groove around its periphery cutting the needle-grooves, and no hinged clasp fitting in such groove, and serving to aid in hold ing the needles in position, and alsoto hold the revolving ringto its place In myprescnt invention the revolving cnm-ringvis held down by clasps, N-,-or their equivalent, scrcivedjto the bed-plate, and projecting far enough over the lbwer flange of said ring to prevent its rising,' but yet loose enough not to retard its revolving movemo'nt. A loosening of these screws admits of a removal ofthe cum-ring, when'des'ired. I

In order to raise or lower at will the needle-cylinder relatively to the cam-cylinder, I make a sci-err thread on the peripheryot' tho needle-cylinder, at its. lower end, or make use of some other equivalentimeans that will answer the same purpose, ancl'I inscrtin the centre of the bottom of theframe a ring-nut, 0,.having a circular groove, 0,- on-its periphery, and which is held in place by several projections, d, frour'thc framo,-,

which enter thisgroove. Thegring-nu-t is thus free to be revolved. Andto facilitate this, pins, P, serving as handles, project downwards from it. These parts act as i'ollows: The needle-cylinder being first screwed into the :nut to the propcr distance to give it its true'position for ordinary work, it may afterwards-be raised or lowered to tlie'extcnt' desired by simply turning the ripg-nut in the direction needed.

.Thisf cat ur-is of great importance as asimple and'cfiicient means l'or producing loose or tight work, even when my fix c d cam-groove is used; but when used in the same machinc with'thc adjustable cam hbove described, it gives just so much. additional range for'that purposebeyond that due to the cams'alhnci in other words, the range is made equal to'thc range of both added together.

For some kinds of work so great a range of ad ustment s not necessary, and I then omit the slnicsfroni the cams, and have no provision for the adjustment of thc-cam-groove, whichfis madecontinuous, aiid always the sam cpthc' raising and lowering of the cylinder alone servingfof itsclf to give all the adjustment required. I usc'two, three, o1- nio1'c bobbins,und a corresponding number of thread-guides, one for each; andI slit each of these from-its eye; outward, so'that in the variety ot" work which my peculiar improvementsenable me to make unon'this-sim liliod machine each t-hread can beinstantl -removed from or re laced infits c e, or

l p a iinother colored thread, or tivo or more threads of the same or clill'erent'colors placed therein. These bobbins are placed upon spindles \vhich riscfrom that portion of the frame which projects over and rests upon the table, so'tl at Ihisprojection serves the double purpose 0t: aiding in the firm support of the machine, as before m'cntioued, and as a convcnicntbut out-of-tlic-way stand for the b obbin s,

Usually 'tli'e'spindles for the bobbins are placed upon a looso removablc stand, and this is located anywhere the operator iiihyfind a place for it, but separate and apart from the machine. r'lhcdisadvnntages of this practice are, that the stand is liable to bcmpset, its position, and consequently the'pull upon the thread, are-variable;lacing dependent upon wherd-and how the, ,much-inc nay be use=],.and neither the bobbins nor yarng uillcsalways occupythc same relative position to the operative parts of the machiafe. But by, locating-them upon and allixing them to the extension-piece C, and in permanent positions, tlic'u'hol c apparatus is rendered compact; thcbobbin-spindles, bobbins, and their yarn-guidesfoccupy no morcaroaor table room than is required for the niachinoitsclijlno extra movable stand or support is ne'edcdfor them; aridthcy are always in readi iiess, and alirays" deliver the yarn in the same-lines, and with the same amount of strain or pull.

This provision for and mode'oi throwing one thread out and. another thread into a carrier, so as to make stripes arcunilihe irork, and without the need of breaking oil the thrcad,'is,ot' great importance.

val s, being omitted.

Upon the machi: constructed as described, I am enabled 'no't only to knit fabric rhosodianictcr will bo equal to that of the ring of needles, (and which ring may be inndeoi' any sizerequired,) but by knitting it looser, or with larger yarn, or both, and on all the needles, the diinmeter is considerably mor'e than when knit tighter, or \iith fincryarn, or only upon a portion 05 tlicnoe llcs, more orlless, at rognlarcr irregular int-er- By knitting only partially around the ring, and then rcrcrsirrg the motion for "thou-same distance, I am enabled to mnlt c, upon a circular machine, and with a single yarn, a straight strip or web ha.ving two finished oelvodgesl I By knitting such a trip in continuation of a leg of a stocking, (previously knitted, upon thezm clllnc by the method above described-ofknitting a tube, and of swelling itssize for a cnit',) the heel-piece is formed; but

as a double or'thick heel ijs ire-ll as toe is generally needed in stockings to meet the greater wear at those .points,,I double the work at these parts by simply doubling the thread. The toe is made by continuous nar rowingifirst of one half, and then of theothc half of the toe-piece, and then'joining those together by hand.

sum 3 To make a continuous narrowing, say from the calf to the'anhle of astocking, legging, or goiter, and at the same time giye it a l-neat, novel, and attractive appearance, I take out a needle at each side of, say, any twoor three needles, and then proceed and knit as many rows as desired, corresponding with the degree of narrowing required, dud then take out two other needles, equally distant from those last removed, and so on continuously until the size. has been reduced as much as the'work demands. And the effect of this operation is to give longitudinal ridges in the work resemblingribbed knitting, the groove's between the riilgcs'growing gradually shorter andlshortcras they re'cede from the longst central one, which shouldbe made tov comc'in front of the stccking'orlegging. 'r i s I also knit-upon this machine leggings with gaiter bottoms, an alticle never before, so far as I am aware, made upon a knittingmachine, and it, with other new products made on mymac'hine, Ishall seek protection for in other applications for Letters Patent. l i

In making mittens upon this machine, the process is mainlythe same as in making a stocking. To mak'e'a knitted cord, Inse but two, or three, or more needles, and operate the machine as usual, each revolution of the ring and its yarn-carrier causing a delivery of theyarn to the bulbs of the needles, and then carrying it across from the lastto the first needle employed. If the needles used be very few, and the tension be snflicient, atube will thus be formed, every stitch of which will seem precisely the same; but if the needles be more, and the tension less, the slack thread passed from the last to the first-needle so ein'ployed will not be fully taken up, and this portion will present somewhat the appearance of a longitudinal rib in the cord, or a. cord fiat on one side. 'If many needles be used, and the machine revolved continuously, the unknitted thread from the last to the first of the needles employed will represent the chord of the are formed by these needles, and the result will be a knitted pull. 1

If a few only of the needles at regular intervalsbe employed, as, for instance, at four equally distant points, and the machine be continuously revolved in one direction, the result will be a loosely-made tube, the fabricated or knit-ted part of which will be four equally distentparallel strips, held together by yarn unknitted. By cutting these apart lengthwise it becomes fringe.

By introducing a cord, or wire, or fiat strip of metal, or other article, at a proper position, so that it may serve'as a centre about which the slack thread may pass in going from the last to the first needle, as above mentioned in the making of cord, iii-becomes surrounded by and enveloped within the knitted tube, and this procesd affords a means for covering skirt-wires, whip-handles, window-curtain cord, 860., Ste.

By knitting, a straight piece with selvedge edges, or a-tubular piece, for muffs, &c., and regularly (at such intervals, as may be desired,) detaining the yarn between the formation of any two stitches upon a pin, or otherwise, so as to form 'a loop'of whatever length maybe desired, or by knitting a course or part of afeourse, and then throwing the yarn over the same setof needles, and leaving'a loose loop between such of the needles as may be preferred, and then knitting another course overthese loops, the latter are secured in place, and-the result-is.

a rich tufted fabric, with long pile upon one'surface of the knitted fabric, and formed of the same yarn which composes its base or foundation. By, making very short loops, which maybe done by carrying the thread over ajt'ire, I make a goods closely resembling ordinary piled fabricsl If this pile be afterwards cut, it gives a velvety appearance. If the long tufts be'cut, the fabric rcsembles'n. Turkey carpet in text'ure.

Of course in any of the varieties ofwork made on this machine, different-colored yarns may be thrown.in or out,-to suit the taste and to vary the pattern. f

.To' make a fancy tippet, ,I-knitregularly a tube as far as desired-on all the needles, and then with another colored yarn knit much tighter or lo'oscr on the same number of needles, or knit only upon a lesser-number, say upon. 'cveryothcr needle; the result is an alternate close and loose mesh, the lat tcrcontracting naturally, the product'beihg a new and attractive one. V

I i kiiittingn tubulcr piece, I have successfully-surfaced one/side of the tube-with the long loop or tuft inthe manner aheve described, and thus formed the outer surface for-fa knitted muffinimitation of fur. Instead of surfacing the knitted fabric with a tuft of the same material, I have successfully introduced, during the process of knitting, tufts of fur; wc-oLha'ir, or sii'h; which being held by the stitches, or'beingcurled, make a still closer imitation'of natural for or skins; t H

IlLOl'ilBl'yiO form longitudinal stripes in the knitted fabric,-of a difl'crent color from the remainder, I pro-;

cccdeis follows: allow a certain determined number of stitches to be formed of one colored yariirlor thread, and

thenhringiag into service a yarn of another color, knit, as many stitches with it as will give the breadthof stripe desired,throwing the thread which is hot in useofi' thc-insiale of the work, and so continuing around the circle.

' The repetition of this fo -each course will produce the stripes. By continuing such stripes for a distance equal to the breadth of the stripe, and then changing the color of the thread for a correspondingdistance in h stripe, n plaid gcodswili be produced, I

It will be readily perceived that with the facilities in my lnachinefor tliro-wirig threadsin and out instantly,

and without breaking them to do so, or without tying knots to resume the same thread, and bymy simple mean of reversing,- and to any extent, and of driving the machine in (ither direction, the rap f r it is capable of mukingis almost unlimite'd. 4 l Isometimesknit intolthe goods strips of rubber or elastic cord, or form elusticcord by knitting a covering l for strips ,of rubber. Sll'ip's ofbu'ckskin I also knit into soclis or drawers, and long fibres, such as flocks, silk,

&e., I knit into hatsfia ndhonncts.

1. I claim'a longi-tndinallygreoved needle-cylind.er, in combination with a rotary cylinder, having an endless cam-groove with two equal and similar bends, and two sliding cam-pieces, one for each bend, and each ported in side hearings or walls, so that'proper adjustmeutsmay be made to tighten' or loosent'he stitches, and,

yet which will permit the revolution of the machine in either direction, to knit either a tubular or straight fabric at will. I I I 2. The combination with the needle-cylinder of a ring-nut and detents or projections cl, for raising or lowering andzsustaining in position the needle-cylinder relatively to the cam-cylinder; substantially as and for the.

purpose set forth.

3. Also I claim the combination, in the same machine, of devices substantially such as described, for varying the cam-groove, with devices substantially such as described for raising or lowering the needle-cylinder.

DANA BICKFORD.

Witnesses ACHSA M. LAWSON, SYLVESTERY PHELPS. 

